Can head seaming machine



Dec. 27, 1938. F. E. FOWLER CAN HEAD SEAMING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 3, 1957 1 J a 7 E .5 a I}, nd J I D A, r 6% 5w a Q w 4 4 m r Q; w

7 l g 6 97 ww za do 6 W a 7 Dec. 27, 1938. v F. E. FOWLER 7 CAN HEAD SEAMING MACHINE Filed Dec 3, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 27, 1938.

\ F. FOWLER CAN HEAD SEAMING MACHINE 4 Shee ts--Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 3, 1937 Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN HEAD SEAIVIING MACHINE Frank Edward Fowler,

Athens, Ga., assignor to Application December 3, 1937, Serial No. 177,977

16 Claims.

The invention relates generally to can head seamers, and more particularly to machines of this type embodying seaming devices of the character disclosed in the patent to Kronquest 2,023,598 issued December 10, 1935, Primarily the invention seeks to provide a novel can head seaming machine in which the seaming devices are power operated, and in which the operation incident to the seaming on of the head or top end of each can is manually initiated and automatically discontinued.

In the can head seaming machine of the patent referred to the seaming devices are hand actuated and include first and second operation seaming rollers adapted to be pressed inwardly against the can end for effecting the seaming on of said end, said seaming rollers being supported on pivotally mounted arms carrying actuator rollers movable outwardly by a novel cam equipment for the purpose of moving the seaming rollers into operative position as aforesaid. An object of the present invention is to provide novel means for power actuating the seaming devices of the patent referred to and to provide a novel clutch control for the power actuating means whereby operation of the seaming devices can be manually initiated, and automatically discontinued upon completion of each head seaming operation, said control including clutch releasing devices actuated by movement of one of the actuator rollers.

In its more detailed nature the invention resides in the provision of a constantly rotated driving element, a clutch head connected with the seaming devices and having a driven element projected during seaming operations into drive relation contact with the driving element, and means hand actuated to permit projection of the driven element to initiate a seaming operation and automatically actuated by actuator roller movement upon completion of the seaming operation to again withdraw said driven element and discontinue the seaming operation, said means including a trigger set by hand actuation of said means and released by actuator roller movement.

With these and other objects in view which will more fully appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by following the description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a can head seaming machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 on Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 on Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary diagrammatic rear 5 elevation, the parts being shown in the clutch released position.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, the parts being shown in the active clutch-engaged condition.

In the drawings, I have illustrated the invention as applied to a head seamer of the type disclosed in the Kronquest Patent 2,023,598 of December 10, 1935, but it is to be understood the invention may be applied to other forms of head 5 seaming machines. In the example of mechanism disclosed, there is embodied a base member 5, a pair of standards 6 extending upwardly from the base member, and a head plate I supported upon the upper ends of the standards and hav- 0 ing depending hubs in which the standard ends are secured. A clamping bracket 9 is provided at each end of the base member, and each bracket supports a clamp screw l0 opposing the base member 5, and through the medium of these screws the machine may be romovably mounted upon the edge of a table or any other suitable supporting medium.

A cap plate H in the form of a housing or casing member for the power transmitting and 30 seam roll actuating devices is supported upon the standards, and is provided with projecting ears or mounting lugs l2 which engage the standards in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. A cover plate I3 is removably secured upon an upstanding housing portion of the cap? plate member II.

The power transmitting connections and seaming roller actuating devices included within the cap plate housing portion are disclosed in detail in the Kronquest patent hereinbefore referred to, and further detailed description of these parts is thought to be unnecessary in this disclosure. These parts include a drive shaft I4 rotatably supported in a bearing hub l5 extending rearwardly from the cap plate. A clutch head [6 is fixed upon the shaft M and includes a sleeve extension I! about which a driving pulley I3 is freely rotatable in the manner disclosed in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the pulley head being secured upon the sleeve by a retainer collar I9.

When the head seaming machine is in operation, the pulley i8 is constantly rotated through the medium of a drive belt 20 which passes over the pulley and over a small driver pulley 2| secured upon the drive shaft of a motor 22 supported upon the head plate I, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

A rotatable can support 23 is mounted upon the base member 5, and the supporting equipment includes a lifting device 24 by which the supporting element and a can mounted thereon as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings may be lifted into contact with the chuck 25 depending from the cap plate H .and the movement imparting devices housed therein. As is disclosed in the Kronquest patent hereinbefore referred to, the

shaft I4 is rotated a number of times for each rotation indirectly imparted therefrom to the chuck 25.

The particular seaming mechanism employed in the Kronquest patent referred to herein includes first and second operation seaming rollers which are successively presented for engagement with the chuck-rotated can to effect head seaming attachment of the can cover to the can body. The first operation seaming roller designated 26 is journaled on an arm 21 carried by a sleeve 28 oscillatable about one of the standards 2, said sleeve being supported upon a wear plate 29 carried by said standard. A spring equipment 30 is secured to the arm and suitably anchored so as to urge the roller 26 away from the chuck 25. An operating arm 3| cooperates with the arm 21 and is equipped intermediate its ends with a hub 32 oscillatably supported upon the standard 2. An actuator roller 33 is supported upon one end of the arm 3|. A stop screw is carried by the other end of the arm 3|, in position for engaging the outer face of the arm 34 for the purpose of forcing the seaming roller 26 into engagement with the can parts and the chuck. By manipulation of the screw it ispossible to vary the tightness of the formed seam and the position of the parts can be adjusted so as to adapt the machine for use in connection with cans of different diameters.

A second operation roller 35 is similarly journaled on an arm 36 having a sleeve portion 31 oscillatable about the other standard 2 and supported upon a wear plate 38 carried by that standard. A spring equipment 39 tends to hold this seaming roller away from the chuck, and an operating arm 40 equipped with a bearing hub 4| and carrying an actuator roller 42 at one end and abutment screw 43 at its other end cooperates with the arm 36 in positioning the second operation roller 35 during theseaming operation. The first and second operation seaming rollers 26 and 35 are successively moved into engagement with the chuck-rotated can by cams rotatably mounted within the housing portion of the cap plate II in the manner described in detail in the Kronquest patent hereinbefore referred to. The actuator rollers 33 and 42 move in and out during the seaming operation and the latter assumes its outermost position at the time the seaming operation is completed. This movement of the roller 42 is utilized to control the clutch devices in a manner for automatically terminating the clutch engagement or driving relation of the parts upon completion of the seaming operation.

The clutch head I6 is provided with a peripherally enlarged sector 44 grooved to receive an arcuate driven element 45 which is pivoted at one end as at 46 in the groove and is provided at its free end with an enlarged head 41 including a beveled portion 48. Thus mounted, the driven element 45 is swingable outwardly of the clutch head in a plane transversely of the axis of the shaft [4. When the parts are in driving relation, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the beveled surface 48 of the drive element is engaged by the driving lug or pin 49 projecting from the drive pulley l8. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6, the outer edge of the element 45 is extended in cam fashion eccentrically of the sector 44 and the shaft l4, and this edge of the element terminates in an abutment or stop wall 5| formed by the enlarged head 41.

A control pin 52 normally overlies the outer edge of the element 45 as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and this pin is carried by one arm 53 of a bell crank lever including a sleeve portion 54 oscillatable about one of the standards 6. The other arm 55 of the bell crank lever terminates in a downturned hand portion 55 and carries a rod 5'! which is secured to the arm as at 59 and depends therefrom in the manner shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. A latch or trigger member 59 is pivotally mounted upon the lower end of the rod 5'1 and is notched as at 60 to engage the adjacent cover lug 6| projecting from the cap plate II and overlying the roller 42. A release pin 62 depends from the latch member 59 in position for being engaged by the roller 42 at the completion of the head seaming operation or when the roller has assumed its outermost position. A torsion spring 63 constantly urges the trigger member toward latching engagement with the lug 6|, and a spring 64 secured as at 65 to the bell crank arm 55 and anchored as at 66 tends tohold the control pin 52 in its normal position overlying or in retracting position with the driven element 45 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. In order to limit outward swinging movement of the drive element 45, said element is provided with a laterally projecting stop pin 51 movable in a limiting slot or aperture 68 formed in the clutch head sector 44. A torsion spring 69 constantly urges the driven element 45 outwardly, in direction for presenting the beveled surface 48 of the end enlargement 4'! in position for being engaged and driven by the driver lug 49 carried by the pulley 18.

In operation, assuming the parts to be in the normal clutch-device released or disengaged position in Fig. l of the drawings, the driver pulley l8 will be idly rotating and the head seaming devices mounted within the housing portion of the cap plate II will be at rest. By placing the can. upon the supporting member 23 and actuating the lifting device 24, the can with the cover thereof loosely applied can be elevated into contact with the chuck 25. The normal position of the control devices is illustrated in full lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings. By moving the hand lever 55, 56 into the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the control pin 52 will be withdrawn from the position in which it holds the driven element 45 of the clutch devices retracted, and will permit that element to move outwardly into drive relation or contact with the driver lug 49 carried by the drive pulley 18. The latch member 59 will engage the cap plate lug 5| in the manner shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, thus securing the control lever in the position to which it has been manually shifted.

Operation of the seaming devices continues until the head seam has been completed when the actuator roller 42 will have assumed its outermost position, contacting the release pin 62 depending from the latch member 59 so as to release the latch and permit the spring 64 to iii return the bell crank lever 53, 55 to the control pin projecting position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings. With the control pin in this position, as the clutch head rotates, the outer edge portion of the driven element d5 will be engaged by the projecting pin with the result that the element as will be withdrawn so as to discontinue the driving engagement between the pulley lug 49 and the bevel surface 48 of the element enlargement 4'5; and when the enlarged head ll utlimately contacts with said pin rotation of the clutch head and the operating parts connected therewith will be stopped. It will be obvious that by reason of the eccentric relation of the outer edge of the driven element 45 and the provision of the spring 69, engagement of said edge with the control pin will have a braking effect which will minimize shock incident to the stop contact of the head 41 with said pin.

In the foregoing description, I have disclosed a simple and efficient means by which the operation of a head seaming machine can be manually initiated and automatically terminated. It is to be understood that the details of construction of the control devices may be variously changed without departing from the spirit of the invention as pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a power operated can head seamer, the combination of head seaming means including seaming roller equipment and roller supporting arm equipment movable inwardly-and outwardly with res ect to a can head to be seamed to bring about or discontinue seaming roller and can head engagement, power applying means, clutch devices for connecting the power applying and head seaming means, and means manually actuated for engaging the clutch devices and initiating a head seaming operation and automatically operable by movement of said roller supporting arm equipment for disengaging the clutch devices and terminating the head seaming operation. 7

2. In a power operated can head seamer, the combination of head seaming means, power applying means, clutch devices for connecting the power applying and head seaming means, and means manually actuated for engaging the clutch devices and initiating a head seaming operation and automatically operable by movement of a part of the head seaming means for disengaging the clutch devices and terminating the head seaming operation, said manually and automatically operable means including a clutch device controlling lever normally positioned in clutch device releasing position and manually shiftable to a position of control for effecting engagement of the clutch devices, and a trigger means movable with the lever and operable tosecure the lever in its manually shifted position and releasable by engagement with said moving part.

3. In a power operated can head seamer, the combination of head seaming means, power applying means, clutch devices for connecting the power applying and head seaming means, a clutch device control lever shiftable between clutch engagement and clutch release effecting positions, and a trigger means movable with the lever for holding the lever in the clutch engagement effecting position and releasable by movement of a part of the head seaming means to permit the lever to move to the clutch release efiecting position.

4. In a power operated can head seamer, the combination of head seaming means, power applying means, clutch devices for connecting the power applying and head seaming means, a

clutch device control lever shiftable between clutch engagement and clutch release effecting positions, means for normally holding the lever in the clutch release effecting position, and a trigger means automatically set upon manual shifting of the lever to the clutch engagement effecting position for holding the lever in the manually shifted position and automatically releasable by movement of a part of the head seaming means to permit the lever to move to the clutch release effecting position.

5. In a can headseamer wherein is provided a drive shaft, a rotatable chuck, a seaming roller, means for imparting rotation from the drive shaft to the chuck, and means for presenting the roller to the chuck in head seaming relation including an operating cam and operating roller and crank equipment movable to effect presentation of the seaming roller; power applying means, clutch devices for connecting and disconnecting the power applying means and the drive shaft, and means manually operable to bring about engagement of the clutch devices and initiate a head seaming operation and automatically operableby engagement of saidoperating roller for bringing about disengagement of the clutch devices and terminating the head seaming operation.

6. In a can head seamer wherein is provided a drive shaft, a rotatable chuck, a seaming roller, means for imparting rotation from the drive shaft to the chuck, and means for presenting the roller to the chuck in head seaming relation including an operating cam and operating roller and crank equipment movable to effect presentation of the seaming roller; power applying means, clutch devices for connecting and disconnecting the power applying means and the drive shaft, and means manually operable to bring about engagement of the clutch devices and initiate a head seaming operation and automatically operable by engagement of said operating roller for bringing about disengagement of the clutch devices and terminating the head seaming operation, said last named means including a clutch device control lever shiftable between clutch device engagement and release effecting positions, and a trigger means for holding the lever in the clutch device engagement effecting position and releasable by operating roller engagement to free the lever for movement to the clutch device release effecting position.

7. In a can head seamer wherein is provided a drive shaft, a rotatable chuck, a seaming roller, means for imparting rotation from the drive shaft to the chuck, and means for presenting the roller to the chuck in head seaming relation in cluding an operating cam and operating roller and crank equipment movable to effect presentation of the seaming roller; power applying means, clutch devices for connecting and disconnecting the power applying means the drive shaft, and means manually operable to bring about engagement of the clutch devices and initiate a head seaming operation and automatically operable by engagement of said operating roller for bringing about disengagement of the clutch devices and terminating the head seaming operation, said last named means including a clutch device control lever shiftable between clutch device engagement and release effecting positions, means for normally holding the lever in the clutch device release effecting position, and a trigger means automatically set upon manual shifting of the lever to the clutch device en-- gagement effecting position for holding the lever in the manually shifted position and automatically releasable by operating roller engagement to free the lever for movement to the clutch device release position.

8. In a power operated can head seamer, the combination of head seaming means, means for imparting movement to the head seaming means including a drive shaft, a constantly rotating driving member having a driving lug projecting therefrom, a clutch head secured upon the drive shaft and having a driving element projected during seaming operations into drive relation with said lug, control means normally engageable with said element for retracting it from the drive relation with said lug, means for manually retracting the control means from its element engaging position to initiate a head seaming operation, and means operable by seaming means engagement for automatically effecting a return of said control means to the element retracting position upon completion of the head seaming operation.

9. In a power operated can head seamer, the combination of head seaming means, means for imparting movement to the head seaming means including a drive shaft, a constantly rotating driving member having a driving lug projecting therefrom, a clutch head secured upon the driveshaft and having a driving element projected during seaming operations into drive relation with said lug, control means normally engageable with said element for retracting it from the drive relation with said lug, means for manually retracting the control means from its element engaging position to initiate a head seaming operation including a latching device for holding the control means in its retracted position, and means operable by seaming means engagement and automatically effective upon completion of the head seaming operation for releasing the latching device to effect a return of the control means to the element retracting position.

10. In a power operated can head seamer, the combination of head seaming means, means for imparting movement to the head seaming means including a drive shaft, a constantly rotating driving member having a driving lug projecting therefrom, a clutch head secured upon the drive shaft and having a driving element projected during seaming operations into drive relation with said lug, control means normally engageable with said element for retracting it from the drive relation with said lug, means for manually retracting the control means from its element engaging position to initiate a head seaming operation including a latching device for holding the control means in its retracted position, and means actuated by movement of the head seaming means at the completion of the head seaming operation for releasing the latching device to effect a return of the control means to the element retracting position.

11. In a power operated can head seamer, the combination of head seaming means, means for imparting movement to the head seaming means including a drive shaft, a constantly rotating driving member, a clutch head secured upon the drive shaft, a driven element pivotally carried by the clutch head and swingable outwardly therefrom in a plane transversely of the axis of the shaft, a driving lug carried by the driving member in position for overlying said driven element, spring means urging the driven element outwardly toward drive contact relation with the lug, control means engageable with the driven element to retract it from drive contact relation with the lug, manually operable means effective to withdraw the control means from driven element engagement to permit the element and lug to engage and initiate a head seaming operation, and means automatically operable upon completion of the head seaming operation for effecting a return of the control means to the drive element retracting position.

12. In a power operated can head seamer, the combination of head seaming means, means for imparting movement to the head seaming means including a drive shaft, a constantly rotating driving member, a clutch head secured upon the drive shaft, a driven element pivotally carried by the clutch head and swingable outwardly therefrom in a plane transversely of the axis of the shaft, a driving lug carried by the driving member in position for overlying said driven element, spring means urging the driven element outwardly toward drive contact relation with the lug, a control pin projectible into the path of movement of the driven element for retracting it from drive contact relation with the lug, and a rockable lever carrying said pin and manually movable in one direction for withdrawing said pin to initiate a head seaming operation and automatically movable in the opposite direction upon completion of the head seaming function for projecting the pin to the driven element retracting position.

13. In a power operated can head seamer, the combination of head seaming means, means for imparting movement to the head seaming means including a drive shaft, a constantly rotating driving member, a clutch head secured upon the drive shaft, a driven element pivotally carried by the clutch head and swingable outwardly therefrom in a plane transversely of the axis of the shaft, a driving lug carried by the driving member in position for overlying said driven element,

spring means urging the driven element outwardly toward drive contact relation with the lug, a control pin projectible into the path of movement of the driven element for retracting it from drive contact relation with the lug, a rockable lever carrying said pin and manually movable in one direction for withdrawing said pin to initiate a head seaming operation and in the opposite direction for projecting the pin to the driven element retracting position, and a latching device carried by the lever and effective to hold the lever in the pin retracted position during the head seaming operation and automatically actuated by seaming means movement at completion of the seaming operation to release the lever for return movement to the pin projected driven element retracting position.

14. In a power operated can head seamer, the combination of head seaming means, means for imparting movement to the head seaming means including a drive shaft, a constantly rotating driving member, a clutch head secured upon the drive shaft, a driven element pivotally carried by the clutch head and swingable outwardly therefrom in a plane transversely of the axis of the shaft, a driving lug carried by the driving member in position for overlying said driven element, spring means urging the driven element outwardly toward drive contact relation with the lu Cal a control pin projectible into the path of 75 movement of the driven element for retracting it from drive contact relation with the lug, and a rockable lever carrying said pin and manually movable in one direction for withdrawing said pin to initiate a head seaming operation and automatically movable in the opposite direction upon completion of the head seaming function for projecting the pin to the driven element retracting position, said spring urged driven element including a stop head at its free end and including an eccentrically disposed outer cam edge portion for engaging the control pin in a gradually increasing frictional contact during retraction of said element so that stop contact between the pin and the stop head will occur without excessive shock.

15. In a power operated can head seamer, the combination of head seaming means, means for imparting movement to the head seaming means including a drive shaft, a constantly rotating driving member having a driving lug projecting therefrom parallel to the axis of rotation of said shaft, a clutch head secured upon the shaft, a driven element pivotally carried by the clutch head and swingable outwardly therefrom in a plane transversely of the axis of the shaft and terminating at its free end in a drive and-stop head, spring means urging the driven element outwardly to present the drive shaft and stop head in the path of travel of the driving lug, a control pin projectible and retractable across the path of movement of the driven element for retracting the driven element from or freeing it for contact with the driving lug, and means manually operable for retracting the pin and automatically operable by seaming means engagement at the completion of a seaming operation for projecting said pin.

16. In a power operated can'head seamer, the combination of head seaming means, means for imparting movement to the head seaming means including a drive shaft, a constantly rotating driving member having a driving lug projecting therefrom parallel to the axis of rotation of said element, a clutch head secured upon the shaft, a driven element pivotally carried by the clutch head and swingable outwardly therefrom in a plane transversely of the axis of the shaft and terminating at its free end in a drive and stop head, spring means urging the driven element outwardly to present the drive shaft and stop head in the path of travel of the driving lug, a control pin projectibl-e and retractable across the path of movement of the driven element for retracting the driven element from or freeing it for contact with the driving lug, and means manually operable for retracting the pin and automatically operable by seaming means engagement at the completion of a seaming operation for projecting said pin, said spring urged driven element including an eccentrically disposed outer cam edge portion for engaging the pin in gradually increasing frictional contact during retraction of the driven element so that stop contact between the pin and the stop head will occur without excessive shock.

FRANK EDWARD FOWLER. 

